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MER - October, 2008

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008

Keith Cooley named President and CEO of NextEnergy

Former Director of Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Growth has progressive plans

Concluding an intensive six month executive search process, the Next Energy board of directors has named Keith W. Cooley President and Chief Executive Officer of NextEnergy.

Cooley joins NextEnergy from the Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG), where he was appointed Director by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm in March 2007. Prior to DLEG, Mr. Cooley served as CEO of Focus: HOPE, a Detroit civil and human rights organization. It was during his tenure at DLEG that Cooley began to explore the potential in Michigan for sustainable job growth in alternative and renewable energy technology development.

“It is as clear as day to anyone paying attention that the future of our region, our state, our country and our world is inextricably tied to the development of safe, reliable energy generated from non-fossil fuel sources “, Cooley said. “And the economic drivers behind this new, greener economy cannot be overstated. The race is on, jobs will follow, and NextEnergy is at the forefront to secure Michigan’s position as a leader in the global alternative and renewable energy industry. I am thrilled to be joining this incredible mission and the outstanding team at NextEnergy.”

Cooley began his professional career in 1968 as an experimental physicist with General Electric Corp. He joined General Motors Corp. in 1972 as a project engineer, rising to engineering director for Cadillac Motor Division in 1985 and director of strategic planning for the GM corporate communications staff in 1994. In 1997, Cooley founded Principia Inc., a consulting company dedicated to helping organizations manage crisis and critical change. He later joined Motorola Corp. as director of telematics international sales in 2001.

Cooley received a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics and a master of science degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan in 1967 and 1972, respectively. In addition, he was a gymnast; the first African-American to compete in that sport at the school and was a member of UM’s 1966 Big Ten Championship team. A resident of Troy, he is married and has four children.

Cooley’s assumption of leadership is fully supported by NextEnergy’s board of directors, which is made up of community and business leaders from organizations such as Detroit Renaissance, DTE Energy, the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the Michigan Environmental Council, and others.

“With Keith Cooley as NextEnergy’s CEO we feel we have struck solid gold,” says NextEnergy board chairman Chris Rizik. “His scientific background, his track record in successfully managing organizations, his tireless passion to improve the lives of the Michigan workforce, and his sincere belief in the promise of alternative energy to recharge America’s economy is a powerful combination. We couldn’t be happier to have him.”

Cooley is will take office as president and CEO of NextEnergy early in November, 2008, leading the NextEnergy senior management team consisting of Chief Operating Officer David McLean, Vice President of Industry Services Dan Radomski, Chief Financial Officer Ken Fiema, Business Development Director James Saber, and Communications and Outreach Director Mark Beyer.

United Solar Battle Creek plant gets more state support
Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced approval by the Michigan Strategic Fund board of a tax-free Renaissance Zone and a $10 million Community Development Block Grant to support United Solar Ovonic's planned $220 million advanced solar manufacturing plant in Battle Creek's Fort Custer Industrial Park. The new plant is expected to create up to 350 new jobs. The company also has the option to invest another $220 million and build a second manufacturing plant in Battle Creek with the potential for an additional 350 jobs.

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EcoV develops new marketing video, still seeking funds
Grosse Pointe Woods-based Environmental Transportation Solutions LLC, better known as EcoV, announced this month that it had created a new marketing video of all EcoV Electric models with computer generated animation. The video is accessible on the www.EcoVElectric.com Web site. The company is still seeking $3 million to begin production.

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Wind power firm settles debt, boots board
Midland-based McKenzie Bay International Ltd. announced it had entered into an escrow and settlement agreement with YA Global Investments L.P., and MTI Energy Management and Lighting Specialists Inc. YA Global Investments L.P., formerly Cornell Capital Partners L.P., has accepted an offer to pay off their outstanding debentures that include a partial cash payment, return of 14,367,426 McKenzie Bay pledge shares, replace 3,500,000 McKenzie Bay warrants, and cancel all other McKenzie Bay warrants. McKenzie Bay has agreed to amend YA Global warrants; consent to the installation of six new board members and accept the resignation of the current board at the end of escrow. McKenzie Bay has agreed to move forward using Envitech Energy and Analytical Design Service Corporation technologies to produce WindStor vertical axis wind turbines.

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New Web site for Howell battery recycler
Howell-based Battery Solutions Inc., a provider of fully managed battery recycling kits, systems, and services to corporations, governments, municipalities, and households across the country, said it had launched a new Web site at www.batteryrecycling.com. The company said the new site is designed for easy navigation and provides in-depth information about the importance of recycling and details about the company's comprehensive recycling offerings. Also, batteryrecycling.com gives users an easy way to order environmentally friendly products and services for their own municipal, corporate, or household recycling initiatives.

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Hella touts LED headlights
Germany’s Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. demonstrated light-emitting-diode headlamps at General Motors Corp.’s Milford proving grounds this month to show that the daylight-like lighting is superior to both existing halogen and xenon high-intensity discharge lamps. The LED headlamps debuted earlier this year on the Cadillac Escalade luxury SUV -- the first application to use diodes exclusively for both high and low beams. The technology also will be available next year on hybrid versions of the Escalade.

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Michigan Tech, Wolverine Power team up on biomass power study
A new study from the Wolverine Power Cooperative and Michigan Technological University found that unused wood waste from a 75-mile radius around its Wolverine Clean Energy Venture near Rogers City could be converted into at least 35 megawatts of electricity -- the energy needed to serve 25,000 Michigan households. That could grow to 75,000 if the area's forest land was used to its maximum potential. The idea's carbon footprint is also modest. More at www.mtu.edu.

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New MSU center aims to turn waste to energy for small farms
State and foundation grants exceeding $3 million will assist Michigan State University researchers in developing technology for smaller farms to turn animal waste into usable heat, electricity and other valuable products. MSU’s planned Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center will consolidate new and existing programs in a planned 3,280-square-foot building south of campus, at MSU’s expanding farm animal and environmental research complex. Researchers aim to develop and commercialize turn-key digester/microturbine modules for affordable waste-to-power systems for small and mid-sized farms. For more detail on the MSU ADRE facility, its funding and background on anaerobic digestion, visit www.egr.msu.edu/age/.

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Big software center, solar power plant among MEDC job wins
A Silicon Valley software shop that plans to add more than 200 jobs in a research and development center in Ann Arbor and yet another solar panel factory being built by Energy Conversion Devices Inc. headlined several economic development wins announced this month by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. In all, the nine projects announced are expected to create more than 7,500 new Michigan jobs and represent an investment of $489.2 million. NetEnrich, an IT services provider, plans to invest $2.7 million in a new R&D and network operations center in Washtenaw County. The project is expected to create 435 new Michigan jobs, including 225 directly by the company.

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ECD to speed up expansion, build solar roof products with CertainTeed
Rochester Hills-based Energy Conversion Devices Inc. said it has a new joint agreement with Valley Forge, Pa.-based CertainTeed Corp. to combine ECD Uni-Solar photovoltaic products with CertainTeed roofing products. The company expects these new products to be available commercially beginning in 2010. ECD manufactures a new type of thin, flexible solar panel based on a sheet of steel and topped with clear plastic. At a meeting with analysts Thursday, the company also announced a speedup in its expansion plans toward a goal of being able to produce one gigawatt per year of solar panels by 2012.

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New DOT rules hit lithium-ion cell phone battery recycling
New Federal Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations covering lithium-ion batteries -- which took effect this month -- will impact both the cell-phone recycling industry and consumers who want to ship their wireless handsets for recycling, according to Dexter-based ReCellular, the cell phone recycling giant. ReCellular recycles an average of 14,000 pounds of lithium-ion batteries every month, which are stored and shipped in 55-gallon steel drums in accordance with existing DOT rules. Updated shipping labels and documentation will be required by the new regulations. To assist its recycling partners, ReCellular will update its Web site, www.recellular.com, with information detailing the required changes to commercial shipments.

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Study: offshore wind turbines could pack a punch in Michigan
If Michigan allowed close to 100,000 wind turbines to be plopped along the shore of the Great Lakes, it would produce enough energy to power the entire Upper Midwest, according to a Michigan State University Land Policy Institute study released this month, according to the MIRS News Service. While acknowledging that such a scenario is absurd, the study "Michigan's Offshore Wind Potential" produced the calculations to show the state what is possible if wind turbines were moved next to and into the Great Lakes. For example, to use offshore wind energy to satisfy all of Michigan's power demands, the state would need to plop 11,469 wind turbines 10 kilometers offshore at a depth of 60 meters, according to the study, authored by Charles McKeown and Soji Adelaja. The full report can be downloaded from the LPI Web site at http://www.landpolicy.msu.edu/modules.php?name=Documents&op=viewlive&sp_id=812.

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NextEnergy's Croce headed for next post at energy contractor
James A. Croce announced six months ago that he would be leaving NextEnergy, the state of Michigan's renewable energy industry accelerator. Croce announced his next post -- president and COO of Wixom-based Lipten Co. Lipten is an energy services company formed in 1994 and is led by CEO Jim Spencer. The company provides engineering, procurement and construction services -- in other words, design-build -- for industrial power and thermal energy users. More at www.lipten.com.

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Conference on peak oil will be carbon-neutral
The Fifth U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions is being held Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 at Oakland University in Rochester. The conference is presented by Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center of Oxford and Community Solutions of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Organizers announced that Detroit-based Carbon Credit Environmental Services will offset the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide emissions created by the conference, making it carbon neutral. To register or for more information on attending, exhibiting or volunteering, visitwww.planconference.org.

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